ICD 9 Codes for Tongue Thrust

Marsha Lee-White, M.A.,CCC-SLP

January 25, 2010

Question

What is the proper ICD 9 code for tongue thrust?

Answer

I have searched several on-line ICD-9 reference sites, as well as the ICD-9 book. These are just a few of the codes, for use by a speech-language pathologist and certified orofacial myologist, which I find to be appropriate for patients with tongue thrusting behaviors. This certainly is not a complete listing and I certainly would be open to other possible billing codes. I am not an insurance specialist, so providers may wish to check with carriers to determine the best codes to use.

315.39 Other Developmental Speech Disorder Developmental articulation disorder; Dyslalia; Phonological disorder (My office has found difficulties with reimbursement with this code, but I thought I would include it just for reference)

784.5 Other Speech Disturbance Dysarthria; Dysphasia; Slurred speech

750.0 Tongue Tie Ankyloglossia

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Marsha Lee-White, MA, CCC-SLP is a speech-language pathologist at the Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, providing services at the Outpatient Mason satellite. She is a certified orofacial myologist through the International Association of Orofacial Myology, and a certified member of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). She has been providing clinical services to patients with orofacial myofunctional disorders/tongue thrust for approximately 15 years and has presented at the local and state level on this topic.